What Do We Know About Xi Jinping?

11/9/2012 5:59PM

With a leadership change in China imminent, what do we really know about the man who is widely expected to take over the ruling Communist Party? The WSJ's Jeremy Page tells us what differences to expect and what Xi Jinping needs to do to steer China through the next decade.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... what I mean really nail that she Jinping while to get us more insight into China's next leader in joining me now reporter Jeremy Page from Bejing ... okay ... and Jeremy were really know about China's next leader at how different is he to the current leader Hu Jintao ... of course is the isthe big question surrounding Swedish return over what exactly is Mr Sheehan or ... do differently ... on the northern parts of their lives that are remarkably different than the typical be the most interesting thing is to ... the track record of dealing with business from the Jintao when he took on two thousand and two ... of note caught a lot of experience in front of the most in the fungal spores to China ... in provinces that we didn't have much foreign investment ... she's in pain ten years younger began his career in the early nineteen eighties often market oriented reforms what ... it down ... and spent most of that time in ... the eastern provinces of China ... that that that that the real hotbeds of private enterprise and has ... a lot of experience dealing with private business foreigner best to discuss some good friendships with summer ... comes of other prominent said Chinese and foreign business people ... ok and only now that is personality any Nissan Nissan play a friendly ... and and what appeared to be a plain hoping she didn't came and so how is it houses personality different than his ... she suddenly seems a lot more confidence the people who know him well except that some ... we've seen it in public as well ... but that appearance is ... here in China where he comes across as there is ... so confident artists such ... as Isa especially in the trips the United States where he really succeeded and charming as hosts ... I he went ... back to see the family to the statement ... on a visit to the US in ... eighteen eighty by that went down very well with us or him some to ... eyesore and public a few times now comes ... into the study comes across very well he's getting one of the crowd has said ... in a deep voice he's he's he's a bit to learn and longer and I was present stickles over and ... Jeremy she's father was a revolutionary hear analysts and later became a senior member of the Communist Party ... I need that been flying actually hurt him or how can in today's world ... but the bits of cuts ... both ways home or if you look of his childhood ... the sun was very damaging only on ... his father was a famous ... senior figure in the potty when Quinn was encouraged in the nineteen sixties and spent sixteen years and a hostile acts ... and then ... some weeding in the nineteen eighties ... it was more to help him into somewhat his father was back in senior positions in the party hopes of note to his career ... that that there is you know within the party disarmament of resentment at the same people into the perceived to that's ... not helping hand over the course of the careers and maybe ... you'll get a leg up along the way ... aam ... it does the dependence of network of contacts among sell the princelings ... the aussie Hermitage in some millet re positions ... and that could be useful to him is the isthe top leader because he can call of those people ... to support and ... it does put in when there is some controversial decisions to be married ... again the can is honestly a major issue the Communist Party is a saying ... on the Jintao at the opening of the party Congress even saying that crafting could be the death of the Communist Party ... any indication as to how our ... she plans to tackle police at a fraction ... known as yet no he hasn't made a speech at this Congress ... and term is not expected to surge ... it will probably have to wait awhile before we actually gets in ... terms of sensitive ... policy pronouncements from him ... but in a Jintao's message in his final speeches but each imports very impacting the reflects the view of the whole said ... Xi Jinping whatever it's a whirlwind cropping out as well ... so it ... did appear the problem is that none of these people really saying ... how old they want to tackle this problem ... is a lot of Russert about the needs ... and to tackle it is a lot of rhetoric about the sweat that it is the isthe because destroyed upon seeing the could destroy the States ... the Wall When Lockyer the moment is the new secrecy t tell about what exactly happened that day ... Itanium Mints and as you described his visit to the US is recent visit to the US ... how is expected to be yet on the Street Sino US ties is the expected to be a more friendly leader back to the US ... I wouldn't expect him to be more friendly area given the euro once becomesthe the Europe China ... areas of Ms main responsibility is to Congress to act as the nation's leader ... citizens of PostNL connection to the country ... shouldn't come into play in helping setbacks ... here he does have ... a possible connection to its been going back to ... the mid ninety NetEase his torturers an undergraduate at Harvard C has a much better understanding of the United States ... Vlad U S government were because people are coming from ... parts of the way to see China ... so that could be helpful ... but when it comes to Intoll discussions in the Chinese leadership on how to deal with the US but also when it comes but awful discussions between them own norms of difficult issues ... the better ... and doubtless come face to the extent that ... the cayenne can eat windy and believe that the Communist Party thought that she Jinping was the right cake to be the next leader of China ... it's a very interesting question because she Jinping was only releasing go back in two thousand and seven ... as a potential success of the region town or was he make competing there until two thousand and ten ... under by contrast it didn't I was ... I can fix ... a long time much longer will in a decade before he gets to two hours of current acts but don't stop paying as the ... leader of the of the so-called fourth generation of the turns that is ... what happened in two thousandseven when she Jinping was committed to the standing Committee lowered ... the concern has begun reports acting to become the Crimea ... and so ... according to many people than the party was STD Kutcher who was pitching towners ... Fuss choice to succeed him ... but she Jinping was more poker ... who among some policy leaders and in particular ... the support of terrorism and we were tired Sarah has been achieved ... okay thanks Fran that's Jeremy Page Joe inning as from ... AJ ... I describing what the next leader and time and she Jinping